Airflow control for air turbine starter

ABSTRACT

An example arrangement for cooling a gas turbine engine includes an air turbine starter having a turbine section for rotationally driving a compressor through rotation of a shaft. An starter air valve is configured to control a flow of pressurized air that flows downstream towards turbine blades of the air turbine starter. An airflow adjustment device (AAD) is configured to adjust the flow when a manual override feature of the starter air valve is engaged based on a rotational speed of one of the shaft and an additional shaft that is driven by the compressor. A governor is configured to control a degree to which the AAD adjusts the flow. The governor is mechanically linked to the shaft through one or more gears and configured to adjust the AAD such that a rotational speed of said one the shafts does not exceed a predefined threshold during a particular operating mode.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/875,920 which was filed on Jan. 19, 2018, and is incorporated hereinby reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

This application relates to an air turbine starter, and moreparticularly to airflow control for an air turbine starter.

Gas turbine engines are known and typically include a fan delivering airinto a bypass duct for propulsion. The fan also delivers air into acompressor where air is compressed and delivered into a combustor. Theair is mixed with fuel and ignited. Products of this combustion passdownstream over turbine rotors driving them to rotate. The turbinerotors, in turn, rotate compressor rotors and the fan rotor.

An air turbine starter is typically included with a gas turbine enginefor starting the gas turbine engine. The air turbine starter receivespressurized air from an auxiliary power unit when it is desired to starta gas turbine engine. The air turbine starter is connected to drive acompressor section of the gas turbine engine. When the air turbinestarter receives the pressurized air, its turbine is driven to rotate,to in turn start rotation of the compressor section in the gas turbineengine through “motoring.”

Some gas turbine engines exhibit a so-called “bowed rotor” conditionwhereby certain components exhibit different thermal expansion fromengine use, causing a shaft of a gas turbine engine, such as the “Ni”shaft that interconnects a fan, low pressure compressor, and lowpressure turbine of the gas turbine engine, or “N2” shaft thatinterconnects a high pressure compressor and high compressor turbine, tobecome bowed.

Starting up and idling an engine exhibiting a bowed rotor conditionwithout sufficiently cooling the engine is undesirable, because rotorblades may not be properly centered and may excessively rub into ahousing. This poses challenges for aircraft with short turnaroundsbetween flights, because a gas turbine engine may take several hours ofstandstill cooling to fully resolve a bowed rotor condition.

Low speed motoring of a gas turbine engine exhibiting a bowed rotorcondition at sub-idling rotational speeds is a method to shorten thetime needed for cooling.

SUMMARY

One example embodiment of an arrangement for cooling a gas turbineengine includes an air turbine starter, a starter air valve, and anairflow adjustment device. The air turbine starter includes a turbinesection for rotationally driving a compressor of a gas turbine enginethrough rotation of a shaft that connects the turbine section to thecompressor. The starter air valve is configured to control a flow ofpressurized air along a flow path from a source to turbine blades of theturbine section. The starter air valve includes a manual overridefeature that allows manual opening of the starter air valve. The airflowadjustment device is configured to adjust the flow of pressurized airalong the flow path when the manual override feature is engaged based ona rotational speed of one of the shaft and an additional shaft that isdriven by the compressor.

One other example embodiment of arrangement for cooling a gas turbineengine includes an air turbine starter, an airflow adjustment device,and a governor. The air turbine starter includes a turbine section andan inlet duct in fluid communication with the turbine section. Theturbine section is configured for driving a compressor of a gas turbineengine through rotation of a shaft that interconnects the turbinesection and the compressor. The airflow adjustment device is configuredto adjust a flow of pressurized air from a source to turbine blades ofthe turbine section. The governor is mechanically linked to the shaftthrough one or more gears and is configured to operate the airflowadjustment device to adjust the flow based on a rotational speed of oneof the shaft and an additional shaft driven by the compressor, such thatthe rotational speed of said one of the shafts does not exceed aselected threshold during a particular operating mode.

One example embodiment of a method of motoring a gas turbine engineincludes delivering a flow of pressurized air along a flow path to aturbine section of an air turbine starter. The flow path passes througha starter air valve, and the pressurized air causes the air turbinestarter to rotate a compressor of a gas turbine engine through rotationof a shaft that interconnects the turbine section and the compressor.The method includes manually opening the air starter valve if needed.When the starter air valve is manually opened, a degree to which anairflow adjustment device adjusts the flow of pressurized air iscontrolled based on a rotational speed of one of the shaft and anadditional shaft that is driven by the compressor.

One example embodiment of an arrangement for cooling a gas turbineengine includes an air turbine starter having a turbine section forrotationally driving a compressor of a gas turbine engine throughrotation of a shaft that connects the turbine section to the compressor.A starter air valve is configured to control a flow of pressurized airalong a flow path that flows downstream towards turbine blades of theturbine section, the starter air valve having a manual override featurethat allows manual opening of the starter air valve. An airflowadjustment device is configured to adjust the flow of pressurized airalong the flow path when the manual override feature is engaged based ona rotational speed of one of the shaft and an additional shaft that isdriven by the compressor. A governor is configured to control a degreeto which the airflow adjustment device adjusts the flow, the governormechanically linked to the shaft through one or more gears andconfigured to adjust the airflow adjustment device such that arotational speed of said one of the shafts does not exceed a predefinedthreshold during a particular operating mode.

One example embodiment of a method of cooling a gas turbine engineincludes delivering a flow of pressurized air along a flow path toturbine blades of a turbine section of an air turbine starter, the flowpath passing through a starter air valve, the pressurized air causingthe air turbine starter to rotate a compressor of a gas turbine enginethrough rotation of a shaft that interconnects the turbine section andthe compressor. The method includes controlling a degree to which anairflow adjustment device adjusts the flow of pressurized air to theturbine section when the starter air valve is manually opened based on arotational speed of one of the shaft and an additional shaft that isdriven by the compressor. The controlling includes utilizing a governormechanically linked to the shaft through one or more gears andconfigured to adjust the airflow adjustment device such that arotational speed of said one of the shafts does not exceed a predefinedthreshold during a particular operating mode.

The embodiments, examples, and alternatives of the preceding paragraphs,the claims, or the following description and drawings, including any oftheir various aspects or respective individual features, may be takenindependently or in any combination. Features described in connectionwith one embodiment are applicable to all embodiments, unless suchfeatures are incompatible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an arrangement for starting and cooling agas turbine engine.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an example air turbine starter.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an example airflow adjustment device.

FIGS. 4A-B are schematic views of another example airflow adjustmentdevice.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of another example airflow adjustment device.

FIGS. 6A-C are schematic views of another example airflow adjustmentdevice.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the airflow adjustment device of FIGS.6A-C using a different control arrangement.

FIGS. 8A-B are schematic views of another example airflow adjustmentdevice.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of the device of FIGS. 8A-B using a differentcontrol arrangement.

FIGS. 10A-B are schematic views of another example airflow adjustmentdevice.

FIG. 11 is a diagram representative of an example method of cooling agas turbine engine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an example arrangement 10 for starting agas turbine engine 20. An air turbine starter 110 is configured to drivea compressor section 24 of a gas turbine engine 20 through an accessorygearbox 112 and a driveshaft 114 at startup of the gas turbine engine20. The air turbine starter 110 is also configured to drive thecompressor section 24 for cool-down motoring of the gas turbine engine20 when the gas turbine engine 20 exhibits a bowed rotor condition.

The cool-down motoring draws air into the gas turbine engine 20, whichexpedites cooling of the gas turbine engine 20 and mitigation of thebowed rotor condition The cool-down motoring is performed such thatrotors of the compressor section 24 (e.g., a low pressure compressor ofthe compressor section 24) rotate at sub-idling rotational speedswithout achieving a full start condition.

A starter air valve 104 controls a flow of pressurized air from a source102 along an flow path 100 to the air turbine starter 110 for cool-downmotoring and engine startup. In the example of FIG. 1, the source 102 isan auxiliary power unit (APU) (e.g., of an aircraft that utilizes thegas turbine engine 20). In one example, the starter air valve 104 can beactivated by a button on a nacelle door, a button in an aircraftcockpit, or a switch/sensor on a nacelle door.

The starter air valve 104 may exhibit a fault condition, such as failingto open. To address this, the starter air valve 104 includes a manualoverride feature 116 that includes a tool interface 118 for engaging theoverride feature and actuating the starter air valve 104 open. The toolinterface 118 may be engaged by a technician on the ground, for example.Once opened, the starter air valve 104 on its own may provide too muchairflow to the air turbine starter 110, potentially driving thecompressor section 24 at a rotational speed that is too fast forcool-down motoring.

An airflow adjustment device 106 is in series with the starter air valve104 in the flow path 100, and is configured to limit the flow ofpressurized air along the flow path 100 when the starter air valve 104is manually overridden to an open position. Optionally, the airflowadjustment device 106 can also be utilized in conjunction with thestarter air valve 104 when the starter air valve 104 is functioningproperly. The airflow adjustment device 106 can include a valve, aresizable inlet duct of the air turbine starter 110, or adjustable vanesof the air turbine starter 110, for example.

A controller 120 controls the degree to which the airflow adjustmentdevice 106 adjusts the flow in the flow path 100 to provide an amount ofairflow to the air turbine starter 110 that will motor the gas turbineengine 20 at a sub-idle speed until a bowed rotor condition of the gasturbine engine 20 has diminished sufficiently, without achieving a fullstart condition.

The controller 120 controls the airflow adjustment device 106 based on arotational speed of the shaft 114 that interconnects the air turbinestarter 110 to the compressor section 24 (e.g., or alternatively shaft70 or 82 as shown in FIG. 2 that provide interconnection between the airturbine starter 110 to the compressor section 24) or based on arotational speed of a different shaft that is driven by the compressorsection 24 (e.g., the rotor shaft 30 of FIG. 1). The rotor shaft 30interconnects a fan 22, a compressor of the compressor section 24 (e.g.,a low pressure compressor), and a turbine of an engine turbine section28 (e.g., a low pressure turbine) of the gas turbine engine 20. In oneexample, the rotor shaft 30 is an “inner shaft” (i.e., N1 shaft), andthe gas turbine engine 20 includes an additional “outer shaft” (i.e., N2shaft) (not shown) that is concentric with and outside of the rotorshaft 30 and interconnects a high pressure compressor of the compressorsection 24 and a high pressure turbine of the engine turbine section 28.Either of the inner or outer shaft, depending on which shaft is desiredto be cooled, could be used by the controller 12 as a basis forcontrolling the airflow adjustment device 106 in one example.

In one example, the controller 120 is configured with a mapping ofrotational speeds of one of the shafts 70, 82, 114 to rotational speedsof the inner shaft and outer shaft so that the rotational speed of themeasured shaft can conveniently be used as a benchmark to ensure that arotational speed of the inner and/or outer shaft does not exceed adesired rotational speed for cool-down motoring.

In one example, the controller 120 is configured to perform cool-downmotoring at a given rotational speed for a particular one of the shaftsfor a predefined time period. This time may be based on an engine typeof the gas turbine engine 20 and/or a duration of a previous flight thatthe gas turbine engine 20 was just utilized for.

In one example, the controller 120 includes an electromechanicalinterface device, such as a pulse width modulated solenoid, aservomotor, or a torque motor, that controls the airflow adjustmentdevice 106 based on input from a speed sensor 122 (see, e.g., FIG. 3)that measures a rotational speed of one of the shafts discussed above.

In another example, the controller 120 includes a mechanical governordevice that is mechanically linked to one of the shafts discussed aboveand includes flyweights configured to move outward when a centrifugalforce is applied through an increased a speed of rotation. Also, othergovernors may be useful in the arrangement 10.

Although the airflow adjustment device 106 is depicted downstream of thestarter air valve 104 in the flow path 100, it is understood that theairflow adjustment device 106 could instead be upstream of the starterair valve 104 in the flow path 100, or could be incorporated into theair turbine starter 110.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an example air turbine starter 110 that isused to initiate rotation of the gas turbine engine 20 through accessorygearbox 112. The air turbine starter 110 includes a housing assembly 60that includes a turbine section 62 and an output section 64. The turbinesection 62 includes a turbine wheel 65 with a plurality of turbineblades 66, a hub 68, and a turbine rotor shaft 70. The turbine blades 66extend radially outward from the turbine wheel 65 and are situated inthe flow path 100 downstream of turbine vanes 72. The turbine vanes 72direct pressurized air from an inlet 74 and inlet duct 76 to the turbineblades 66. The inlet duct 76 is defined by an inner wall 78 and an outerwall 80 that surrounds the inner wall 78. In the example of FIG. 2,inlet duct 76 includes a substantially cylindrical portion between inlet74 and the inner wall 78, and a substantially annular portion radiallyoutward of the inner wall 78.

The compressed air flows past the vanes 72, drives the turbine wheel 65,and is then exhausted through an outlet 81. The turbine wheel 65 isdriven by the pressurized airflow such that the turbine rotor shaft 70mechanically drives a starter output shaft 82 though a gear system 84,such as a planetary gear system. In the example of FIG. 2, the turbineblades 66 and turbine vanes 72 are airfoils.

The turbine rotor shaft 70 and starter output shaft 82 are collinearwith a central longitudinal axis D of the air turbine starter 110. Theturbine blades 66 extend radially outward from the central longitudinalaxis D and rotate about the central longitudinal axis D.

In this disclosure, like reference numerals from 100 to 972 designatelike elements where appropriate, and reference numerals with theaddition of one-hundred or multiples thereof designate modified elementsthat are understood to incorporate the same features and benefits of thecorresponding elements.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an example in which the airflow adjustmentdevice 106 is an active bleed valve 206 configured to modulate airflowto the air turbine starter 110 by selectively releasing pressurized airfrom the flow path 100 through a bypass passage 221. A speed sensor 122measures a rotational speed of a shaft, such as the turbine rotor shaft70, starter output shaft 82, or driveshaft 114, and the controller 220controls the active bleed valve 206 based on a difference between themeasured rotational speed and a desired rotational speed of the same oranother shaft (e.g., using the mapping discussed above), and adjusts theactive bleed valve 206 to prevent the measured rotational speed fromexceeding the desired rotational speed.

The active bleed valve 206 is normally in a closed position, but can beopened by controller 220 to release pressurized air from the flow path100.

The controller 220 could include a pulse width modulated solenoid, aservomotor, or a torque motor that controls the active bleed valve 206,for example.

After a bowed rotor condition of the gas turbine engine 20 is mitigated,the controller 220 is configured to cause the active bleed valve 206 tofully close for starting the gas turbine engine 20.

FIGS. 4A-B are schematic views of an example in which the airflowadjustment device 106 is a shutter valve 306 that has a central aperture326 and a plurality of shutter blades 328 that are movable radiallyinward or radially outward from the central aperture 326 to resize thecentral aperture 326, and thereby alter a flow area defined by thecentral aperture. The controller 320 selects the size of the centralaperture 326 to achieve a desired rotational speed of the air turbinestarter 110, such as by starting from a default largest aperture thatpermits a maximum airflow to a reduced size that permits a reducedairflow, for example.

After a bowed rotor condition of the gas turbine engine 20 is mitigated,the controller 320 is configured to cause the shutter valve 306 to fullyopen for starting the gas turbine engine 20, and then optionally tofully close once the gas turbine engine 20 is started.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an example in which airflow adjustmentdevice 106 is a butterfly valve 406 situated within the inlet 74 of theair turbine starter 410. In one example, the starter air valve 104 isomitted and the butterfly valve 406 is used in its place.

In the example of FIG. 5 the controller 120 is a governor 420 that ismechanically linked to the turbine rotor shaft 70 through a plurality ofgears 430A-B and a shaft 432. The governor 420, gears 430, and shaft 432are configured to adjust the butterfly valve 406 such that a rotationalspeed of the turbine rotor shaft 70 does not exceed a predefinedthreshold during a particular operating mode (e.g., during cool-downmotoring of the gas turbine engine 20).

In one example, the butterfly valve 406 is normally in a fully openposition, and is selectively adjusted to a more closed position by anactuator 466 that is coupled to the butterfly valve 406 through amechanical link 468 based on a rotational speed of the turbine rotorshaft 70. The actuator 466 is driven to rotate butterfly valve 406through increased pressure in pneumatic lines 434, 436. Alternatively,the lines 434, 436 can be other types of pressure-based lines, such ashydraulic or fueldraulic lines.

The governor 420 is fluidly connected to the actuator 432 through thepneumatic lines 434, 436 and is configured to adjust a pressure in thelines based on a rotational speed of the shaft 70. In one example, themechanical governor 420 includes flyweights configured to move outwardwhen a centrifugal force applied by rotation of the shaft 70 increasesdue to an increased rotational speed of the shaft 70. Outward movementof the flyweights causes a pressure in the lines 434, 436 to increase,driving actuator 466 to rotate the butterfly valve 406 and close thebutterfly valve 406 (e.g., by the governor 420 acting as a fluid motorthat increases pressure in the pneumatic lines 434, 436).

After a bowed rotor condition of the gas turbine engine 20 is mitigated,a digital control 440 utilizes a governor shut off feature 438 to causethe butterfly valve 406 to fully open (e.g., by disengaging the governor420 from the shaft 70 or dumping pneumatic pressure in lines 434, 436)for starting the gas turbine engine 20, and then optionally fully closesthe butterfly valve 406 once the gas turbine engine 20 is started (e.g.,by increasing pressure in the lines 434, 436).

In another example, the gears 430 could couple the mechanical governor420 to the starter output shaft 82 instead of to the turbine rotor shaft70.

Although FIG. 5 depicts the butterfly valve 406 within the inlet duct 76of the air turbine starter 410, in another example the butterfly valve406 is situated in the flow path 100 upstream of the inlet 74.

FIGS. 6A-C are schematic views of an example in which the airflowadjustment device 106 for an air turbine starter 510 is an air shutter506 that includes two discs 542A-B that each include a plurality ofspaced apart holes 544. In the example of FIG. 6A, disc 542A isstationary, while disc 542B is rotatable to selectively misalign itsholes 544 with the holes 544 of the disc 542A.

FIG. 6B illustrates a view of the air shutter 506 taken along line A-Aof FIG. 6A. The disc 542A includes a plurality of wedge-shaped radiallyextending holes 544A separated by wedge-shaped radially extendingdividers 546A. The disc 542B is situated behind the disc 542A but is notvisible because its holes are aligned with the holes 544A of the disc542A.

FIG. 6C illustrates another view of the air shutter 506 taken along lineA-A of FIG. 6A in which the holes of the discs 542A-B are partiallymisaligned. In particular, the dividers 546B of the disc 542B partiallyobstruct the holes 544A of disc 542A.

In one example, the openings 544 of the discs 542A-B are fully alignedby default and are biased to that fully aligned position. Referringagain to FIG. 6A, a governor 520 is configured to selectively restrictthe flow of pressurized air through misalignment of airflow holes 544 inthe two discs 542A-B. In particular, the governor 520 controls a degreeto which the holes 544 of the discs 542A-B are misaligned and deviatefrom the default fully aligned position. The governor 520 co-rotateswith the turbine rotor shaft 70, and is mechanically linked to disc 542Bthrough shaft 548.

In one example, the mechanical governor 520 includes flyweightsconfigured to move outward when a centrifugal force applied by rotationof the shaft 70 increases due to an increased rotational speed of theshaft 70. Outward movement of the flyweights causes extension of theshaft 548 along the central longitudinal axis D and/or rotation of theshaft 548 about the central longitudinal axis D, thereby increasing amisalignment between the openings 544 in the discs 542A-B and limitingairflow to the turbine blades 66 of the air turbine starter 510.

After a bowed rotor condition of the gas turbine engine 20 is mitigated,a governor shut off feature 538 is configured to disengage the governor520 from the shaft 70 and/or shaft 548 as part of an electromechanicalclutch, causing the air shutter 506 to return to a default, fully openposition for starting the gas turbine engine 20.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of an example air turbine starter 610 thatutilizes the air shutter 506 of FIGS. 6A-C with a different controlarrangement. Instead of utilizing a mechanical governor 520, in FIG. 7the digital control 440 receives input from speed sensor 122 thatmeasures a rotational speed of the turbine rotor shaft 70 (or another ofthe shafts discussed above such as shafts 30, 82, 114), compares that toa desired rotational speed, and electronically commands a shutteractuator 654 to adjust a rotational position of disc 542B based on thedifference between the two rotational speeds. The adjustment isperformed using a mechanical link 650 between the actuator 654 and thedisc 542B.

After a bowed rotor condition of the gas turbine engine 20 is mitigated,the digital control 440 is configured to cause the actuator 654 rotatethe disc 542B to a fully open position for starting the gas turbineengine 20, and then optionally to a fully closed position once the gasturbine engine 20 is started. The governor shut off feature 538 iscontrolled by the digital control 440.

In the examples discussed above, disc 542A is stationary and disc 542Brotates. In another example, disc 542B is stationary and disc 542Arotates. In another example, both of the discs 542A-B rotate.

FIGS. 8A-B are schematic views of an example air turbine starter 710 inwhich inner wall 778 of inlet duct 76 acts as an airflow adjustmentdevice 106. The inner wall 778 is movable along the central longitudinalaxis D from a first position P1 shown in FIG. 8A (and in dotted lines inFIG. 8B) to a second position P2 towards the inlet 74. In position P2,the inner wall 778 is closer to the outer wall 80 and inlet 74, and avolume of the inlet duct 76 is reduced. Thus, the inlet duct 76 in FIGS.8A-B provides for a variable inlet to the air turbine starter 710.

This movement is performed by a mechanical governor 720 that corotateswith the turbine rotor shaft 70, and is mechanically linked to the innerwall 778 through a shaft 752. In one example, the governor 720 includesflyweights configured to move outward when a centrifugal force appliedby rotation of the shaft 70 increases due to an increased rotationalspeed of the shaft 70. Outward movement of the flyweights causesextension of the shaft 752 and inner wall 778 along the centrallongitudinal axis D, which reduces a volume of the inlet duct 76.

After a bowed rotor condition of the gas turbine engine 20 is mitigated,a governor shut off feature 738 is configured to disengage the governor720 from the shaft 70 and/or shaft 548 as part of an electromechanicalclutch, causing the inner wall 778 to return to a default, fully openposition (e.g., position P1) for starting the gas turbine engine 20.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of an air turbine starter 810 that utilizesthe airflow adjustment device of FIGS. 8A-B with an electronic controlarrangement instead of a mechanical governor. In particular, acontroller 820 electrically controls an actuator 832 to move the innerwall 778 from position P1 (where it is located in FIG. 9) to position P2by extending shaft 852 along the central longitudinal axis D. Thecontroller 820 is controllable by digital control 440 (e.g., to causethe actuator 832 to retract the inner wall 778 towards the actuator 832to a fully open position for starting the gas turbine engine 20, andthen optionally back towards the inlet 74 to a fully closed positiononce the gas turbine engine 20 is started).

FIGS. 10A-B are schematic views of an example in which an air turbinestarter 910 utilizes a sync-ring 980 (see FIG. 10B) as an airflowadjustment device 106. When the sync-ring 980 is rotated about thecentral longitudinal axis D, the sync-ring 980 adjusts vane angles of aplurality of variable vanes 972. The control scheme here is similar tothat of FIG. 5.

In this example, the controller 120 is a governor 920 that ismechanically linked to the turbine rotor shaft 70 through a plurality ofgears 930A-B and a shaft 932. The governor 920, gears 930, and shaft 932are configured to adjust the sync-ring 980 to implement a vane anglesuch that a rotational speed of the turbine rotor shaft 70 does notexceed a predefined threshold during a particular operating mode (e.g.,during cool-down motoring of the gas turbine engine 20).

The governor 920 is fluidly connected to vane actuator 966 throughpneumatic line 934 and is configured to adjust a pressure in thepneumatic line 934 based on a rotational speed of the shaft 70. In oneexample, the governor 920 includes flyweights configured to move outwardwhen a centrifugal force applied by rotation of the shaft 70 increasesdue to an increased rotational speed of the shaft 70. Outward movementof the flyweights causes a pressure in the line 934 to increase, drivingvane actuator 966 to adjust the sync-ring 980 by applying pressure tothe vane actuator 966, which moves mechanical link 968 to rotate thesync-ring 980 about axis D. Alternatively, the line 934 can be ahydraulic or fueldraulic line.

As shown in FIG. 10B, the sync-ring 980 is coupled to the variousvariable vanes 972 through couplings 974. When the sync-ring 980 rotatesabout the axis D, vane angles of the variable vanes 972 are adjusted.Referring again to FIG. 10A, a governor shut off feature 938 can beactivated by an digital control 440 to disengage the governor 920 vialine 936 (e.g., to disengage the shaft 932 as part of anelectromechanical clutch) and cause the variable vanes 972 to return toan original vane angle.

In the example of FIGS. 10A-B and the various other examples discussedabove, the digital control 440 and/or controller 120 can be configuredto determine how long motoring of the gas turbine engine 20 shouldoccur.

FIG. 11 is a diagram representative of an example method 1000 of coolinga gas turbine engine 20. A flow of pressurized air is delivered (block1002) along a flow path 100 to a turbine section 62 of an air turbinestarter 110. The flow path 100 passes through a starter air valve 104and causes the air turbine starter 110 to rotate a compressor of a gasturbine engine 20 through rotation of a shaft (e.g., shaft 70, 82, or114) that interconnects the turbine section 62 and the compressor. Thestarter air valve 104 is manually opened if needed (block 1004). Adegree to which airflow adjustment device 106 adjusts the flow ofpressurized air to the turbine section 62 when the starter air valve 104is manually opened is controlled based on a rotational speed of one ofthe shaft and an additional shaft that is driven by the compressor(block 1006).

Although example embodiments have been disclosed, a worker of ordinaryskill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would comewithin the scope of this disclosure. For that reason, the followingclaims should be studied to determine the scope and content of thisdisclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. An arrangement for cooling a gas turbine enginecomprising: an air turbine starter comprising a turbine section forrotationally driving a compressor of a gas turbine engine throughrotation of a shaft that connects the turbine section to the compressor;a starter air valve configured to control a flow of pressurized airalong a flow path that flows downstream towards turbine blades of theturbine section, the starter air valve having a manual override featurethat allows manual opening of the starter air valve; an airflowadjustment device configured to adjust the flow of pressurized air alongthe flow path when the manual override feature is engaged based on arotational speed of one of the shaft and an additional shaft that isdriven by the compressor; and a governor configured to control a degreeto which the airflow adjustment device adjusts the flow, the governormechanically linked to the shaft through one or more gears andconfigured to adjust the airflow adjustment device such that arotational speed of said one of the shafts does not exceed a predefinedthreshold during a particular operating mode.
 2. The arrangement ofclaim 1, wherein the governor is configured as a fluid motor thatcontrols a degree to which the airflow adjustment device adjusts theflow by adjusting a pressure in a pressure-based control line thatconnects the governor to an actuator for the airflow adjustment device.3. The arrangement of claim 1, comprising a governor shutoff deviceconfigured to disable the governor by disengaging the governor from theshaft or adjusting a pressure in a pressure-based control line thatconnects the governor to an actuator for the airflow adjustment device.4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein: the airflow adjustment deviceincludes an additional valve; and the governor is configured restrictthe flow of pressurized air by adjusting a position of the additionalvalve.
 5. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the additional valveincludes an active bleed valve configured to selectively releasepressurized air from the flow path.
 6. The arrangement of claim 4,wherein the additional valve includes a shutter valve having a centralaperture and configured to adjust the flow of pressurized air to theturbine blades by altering a flow area defined by the central aperture.7. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the additional valve includes abutterfly valve.
 8. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein: the airflowadjustment device includes an air shutter situated in the flow pathbetween the source of pressurized air and the turbine section, the airshutter including two discs; and the governor is configured to control adegree to which the airflow adjustment device adjusts the flow bycontrolling a degree to which airflow holes in the two discs aremisaligned.
 9. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein: the turbine sectionincludes a plurality of turbine blades that extend radially outward froma central longitudinal axis; the air turbine starter includes an inletduct that fluidly connects the plurality of turbine blades to the sourceof pressurized air; and the airflow adjustment device includes an innerwall of the inlet duct that is movable along the central longitudinalaxis to adjust a volume of the inlet duct.
 10. The arrangement of claim1, wherein the airflow adjustment device includes a sync-ring, androtation of the sync-ring about a central longitudinal axis of the airturbine starter adjusts vane angles of a plurality of variable vanes ofthe air turbine starter that are upstream of the turbine blades.
 11. Amethod of cooling a gas turbine engine, comprising: delivering a flow ofpressurized air along a flow path to turbine blades of a turbine sectionof an air turbine starter, the flow path passing through a starter airvalve, the pressurized air causing the air turbine starter to rotate acompressor of a gas turbine engine through rotation of a shaft thatinterconnects the turbine section and the compressor; and controlling adegree to which an airflow adjustment device adjusts the flow ofpressurized air to the turbine section when the starter air valve ismanually opened based on a rotational speed of one of the shaft and anadditional shaft that is driven by the compressor, said controllingincludes utilizing a governor mechanically linked to the shaft throughone or more gears and configured to adjust the airflow adjustment devicesuch that a rotational speed of said one of the shafts does not exceed apredefined threshold during a particular operating mode.
 12. The methodof claim 11, wherein said controlling includes the governor adjusting apressure in one or more pressure-based control lines that connect thegovernor to an actuator for the airflow adjustment device to control adegree to which the airflow adjustment device adjusts the flow.
 13. Themethod of claim 11, comprising: disabling the governor by utilizing agovernor shutoff device to disengage the governor from the shaft oradjust a pressure in a pressure-based control line that connects thegovernor to an actuator for the airflow adjustment device.
 14. Themethod of claim 11, wherein: said airflow adjustment device includes anadditional valve; and said controlling a degree to which the airflowadjustment device restricts the flow of pressurized air includesadjusting a position of the additional valve.
 15. The method of claim14, wherein the additional valve includes an active bleed valve.
 16. Themethod of claim 14, wherein the additional valve includes a shuttervalve having a central aperture and configured to adjust the flow ofpressurized air to the turbine blades by altering a flow area defined bythe central aperture.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the additionalvalve includes a butterfly valve.
 18. The method of claim 11, wherein:the airflow adjustment device includes an air shutter situated in theflow path between the source of pressurized air and the turbine section,the air shutter including two discs; and said controlling a degree towhich the airflow adjustment device restricts the flow of pressurizedair includes the control device selectively restricting the flow ofpressurized air through misalignment of airflow holes in the two discs.19. The method of claim 11, wherein: the airflow adjustment deviceincludes a movable inner wall of an inlet duct of the air turbinestarter that is in fluid communication with the turbine section; andsaid controlling a degree to which the airflow adjustment device reducesthe flow of pressurized air includes adjusting a volume of the inletduct by moving the inner wall along a central longitudinal axis of theair turbine starter.
 20. The method of claim 11, wherein: the airflowadjustment device includes a sync-ring; and said controlling a degree towhich the airflow adjustment device restricts the flow of pressurizedair includes rotating the sync-ring about a central longitudinal axis ofthe air turbine starter to adjust vane angles of a plurality of variablevanes of the air turbine starter that are upstream of the turbineblades.